From 'Dr. Strangelove' to 'Hereafter': How Hollywood Reacts to Tragedy

By Kevin Fallon

Clint Eastwood's Hereafter was pulled from theaters in Japan in the wake of last week's devastating 8.9 earthquake and tsunami. Warner Brothers decided that the film, which features a disturbing—and very realistic—sequence during which a tsunami destroys a resort town, was "not appropriate" for Japanese audiences, given the country's recent disasters.

This is not the first time that the release of a film or airing of a television show has been affected by a headline-grabbing tragedy. Stretching back to Dr. Strangelove in 1964, Hollywood has traditionally aired on the side of sensitivity when it comes to broadcasting art that too closely mimics the calamity of life. Here is a timeline of some of the most notable examples: